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Saturday, July 11, 2015

Today I'd like to welcome to the blog, as part of Tyler Knoll's Just For Fun tour, Tyler's alter ego, the fantastic AB Gayle. I strapped AB into the hot seat, well, the comfy chair, and interrogated her mercilessly. Well, asked her some questions in a polite, calm manner. Check out the excerpt as well, and see below for how to win awesome prizes!

AB: Hi Lisa, thanks for having me!

1. Tyler is not your
usual hero. He’s full of snark, and not looking for love, and totally
unapologetic about hooking up, which is very refreshing. Where did the
inspiration for Tyler come from?

I adore lovable clueless narrators. One of the best examples
is Marshall Thornton's "Perils of Praline." Often humor in stories
revolves around the secondary characters --their idiosyncracies and weirdness--
while the narrator is often the "straight man." There are numerous
examples of very successful books using this format, but sometimes this can border
on the cruel. We laugh at them and from afar. I wanted my
hero to be the source of amusement. But not intentionally. Just as Peter
Palmetiere (Praline) is the good-hearted but much put-upon character in
Marshall's book.

It's not easy writing someone like this. They have to be
funny but not pathetic or cruel. A very fine line indeed.

2. Tyler Knoll has an
interesting genesis story. Can you tell us anything more about it?

Back in early 2013, I was a member of a Goodreads group that
had a thread entitled: "What I really hate in m/m romance stories." This
was full of different pet peeves people have, such as: "I hate it when in
the middle of sex they start to speak in staccato... Need. You....Want. Now"...
and "winking holes."

Like all good threads in social media, the topic drifted on
and on, going down various detours, but the list grew longer and longer. Some
people wanted more of some things eg licking. Less of other things. Challenges
were thrown around to write something incorporating all the pet hates and likes.

So I churned out a short story almost overnight. It was full
of snark (some of which has been toned down for public consumption), cliches
and general tongue in cheek references to both gay porn and the MM romance
genre.

This was pure seat of the pants writing. No brain involved. Foreign
territory for me as I'm usually a plotter. But the words just flowed out.

It possibly helped that I'd recently been reading a lot of
gay porn. There was lots of shagging going on, gagging for it, ten inch dicks
and (unfortunately) a few homophones eg feinting for fainting and dyslexic
typos eg bugle for bulge. These books represent the opposite end of the
spectrum from what is popular in the MMromance world. But I re-read them now
and again as an antidote, purely because they are so raw, brutal and basic.

Also around that time, I was deep into the editing and
upcoming release of "Leather+Lace", so editing and the whole writing
process mashed together with this MMromance vs gay porn debate gicing birth to
Tyler Knoll. Even the name is a joke that came to me one day - a certain
character in "Slashed " who shall remain nameless "gets
it."

I sent the first episode off to one of my betas who laughed,
said go for it, so I published a very raw version on Smashwords for free under
Tyler's name.

The reaction was varied. But the responses kicked off what
was to become a very reader reactive process. For example, after it was
published, one reviewer made the comment: "There's
meta and there's META.... And this is just too much meta for me."

I had never come across the term
before, so I looked it up, fell over laughing and decided I had to continue the
story with the VR from TURD. And for those who fear I've strayed into crappy
territory, the initials stand for the Virtual Representative of The Universal
Reading Department. Meta personified!

Once this character arrived on the
scene, the story spun off into an entirely new direction. While "Snared"
had been inspired by porn, a lot of slave fiction and BDSM books were being
released (including mine). I also wanted to poke fun at the Big
Misunderstanding. (Not only the one Tyler had with Word) but between him and
Gareth Evans (an inside joke for us Aussies).

Like the rest of the stories, a "What
If..." sprung into mind. What if Tyler thought he was in for a big BDSM
scene, but the truth was quite different.

"Shredded" was fun to write. But again not easy. I
knew what was going on, but it had to be plausible enough for the reader. The
result had readers scratching their heads even more. Very few stuck with the
series long enough to discover what Gareth Evans wanted Tyler for, but by then
I didn't care. I was off playing in paranormal land, or at least Tyler thinks
he's drifted into shifter, sucker and shredded territory, but he's at death's
door so who can tell?

Once I finished "Slashed", I was in a quandary.
Could I publish it and charge money? Would I be sued? I'd definitely drifted
into some weird shit, and there might be consequences. As it turned out, most
of the people who betaed the final product hadn't read the series I was
alluding to, so the jokes fell flat. Still, they are there for the fans. I like
to think of them as Easter Eggs. The series is riddled with them. Some are
homages, some are digs, some are just nods of recognition. So, if you read them
and wonder "Is this referring to such and such." The answer is
probably, "Yes."

As for "Screwed," I felt the series had to come full
circle. While some may see the stories as poking fun at the MMgenre, I see them
as having a dig at different aspects, but that doesn't mean I disrepect or dislike
the genre. Love, romance and monogamy and dreams of a happy ever after are very
real. What bugs me is the narrow parameters writers in the genre are sometimes
expected to follow. A couple of beta readers expressed disappointment that
there aren't as many jokes in this final instalment. There aren't meant to be.
In fact, I took a few out. And in the Epilogue, I added a serious statement
that sums up, for me, the whole concept of what is needed for a true HEA. It's
not the GRPFATAAHDSS (aka gold rings, picket fences and two and a half dogs
statistically speaking) as Tyler says to the VR from TURD when he brings up
monogamy: "it’s more important to want whatever is best for the other
person. To listen to them. Respect them. And to do that, we need to know what
makes each other happy and what makes us sad.” So "Screwed" was all
about communication.

3. When I write a
story, I always end up with a favourite character. Sometimes it not the MC. Who
is your favourite character in Just For Fun?

Without a doubt, Tyler. Once I found the model whose photos
we use on the cover and in the brilliant video/trailer that Lily Velden of
Wayard Ink Publishing made, no one else would do. In those photos he has that
same lovable goofiness that encapsulates all that Tyler is. I do think covers
are important. One of my betas found it very dificult to read the raw text as
there was no blurb, no cover to go by. In fact that's the typical response I
get. Readers complain that by the time they work out the character's
"voice" the story has come to an end. But, hey I used that as a plot point
in the second book.

4.
What do we have to look forward to from Tyler in the future?

Unfortunately nothing. Mind you, ever since I finished, I
thought of so many other avenues that could have been explored eg Tyler
bemoaning the fact he doesn't need a Street Team to get his book seen, he needs
a Highway Army!

Since then I've thought of a few more popular aspects that
could have been addressed. Cock blocking and knotting for starters! Though I'm
not sure whether those two terms could or should ever be used in the same
paragraph! And mpreg! That didn't get a mention. Mermen! Tentacles!

If I'm really desperate, I could always do a spin off. I
mentioned to hubbie that the stories covered just about every part of the genre
except for the ever popular zombies and detectives. He suggested combining the
two. So I checked on Goodreads, saw there was a dearth of those hence
"Hardacre and Hindsmith" came into being -- the fictional series that
made Tyler Knoll into a mega star. I figured a zombie PI and his lover, the
mortician, would provide plenty of opportunity for jokes.

Thanks so much for joining us today. AB. And if you ever write that zombie PI with his mortician lover, I'd be all over it in a flash! And now, for your added enjoyment, AB interviews the star himself - Tyler Knoll!

Tyler:Hi, my name is Tyler Knoll, and I hope you read my latest release, "Just for Fun."

A.B.: Is that it? This nice blogger invited you along to help publicize your book, and all you've got is one sentence?

Tyler: ***Grumbles*** I hate having to do all this marketing, promotion shit. I've written the story, can't people just pick it up and read it?

A.B.: That's not how it works, honey. Nobody has ever heard of you before, why should they pick up your book when there are so many others out there to read?

Tyler: I don't know. Maybe because it's different? Isn't that what the marketers are always saying? They want something fresh and innovative?

AB: Well, sure, but I think some people might find your book a little too different. What did that first publishing company say in their rejection letter?

Tyler: Please don't remind me! "I didn't like it and I don't think it will sell."

AB: No, that was the beta reader, and they're not always right. I meant the other one.

Tyler: Oh you mean, "what you’re doing is clever and quirky, but I think it’s a little too left of centre for us...."

AB: That's the one. I know you were super disappointed at the time, but it's kind of a compliment. Remember, you were dead set about not writing a traditional MM romance.

Tyler: Yeah. I suppose so. Probably just as well they did reject it otherwise Wayward Ink Publishing would never have taken it on board, and they have been super supportive. They don't mind that it's a bit whacky.

AB: Way out.

Tyler: Weird you mean!

AB: ***Chuckles*** I must admit readers are never going to think about shredders again without giggling.

Tyler: Or call their kid Gareth.

AB: Speaking of Gareth, do you realize that even though you didn't mean to write an MMromance, that in the end you sort of have?

Tyler: Are you saying I sold out?

AB: Never! But you have to admit it's kind of ironic. But that's life isn't it? You find love when and where you least expect it.

Tyler: I certainly didn't plan to end up with the GRPFATAAHDSS. It just happened.

AB: That's the story of your life, though, isn't it? Stumbling into chaos. From one disaster to another.

Tyler: But at least I survived.

AB: You didn't just survive. You went forth and prospered!

Tyler: Hey! I suppose I did. Who woulda thunk? And none of my adventures would have happened if it hadn't been for that first Funtastic Friday. But if I say any more, I'll give away too much and spoil the fun. Maybe people should just read my story for themselves.

AB: See! That wasn't too hard.

Tyler: I suppose not. What do I do now?

AB: You thank the blogger for having you and offer to answer any questions that readers may have.

Tyler: What? Will someone actually read this? Wow!

AB: That's the general idea.

Tyler: Then I need to thank the blog host and the readers! You guys rock.

And here's an excerpt:

At least he wasn’t mad at me. He kept giggling and shaking his head,
muttering, “Tyler, Tyler, Tyler. What am I going to do?”

His broken glasses and the lens were sitting on the desk behind him.
I picked them up. “Don’t worry. It’s easy. My screw fits into this little hole
perfectly.”

He burst out laughing again.

I handed him his glasses and Dilbert put them back on. I heaved a
sigh of relief. Now he wasn’t the sexy stranger who I knew would feature in my
dreams for the next few evenings.

“Thanks,” he muttered. His hand shook slightly as he dragged a pack
of Marlboro’s out of his pocket.

“Erm….”

Dilbert had only recently started to smoke. Or maybe he’d been doing
it forever, but I only just noticed. Since the introduction of the compulsory
no smoking policy, employees had been bitching about having to stand on the
footpath. Dilbert’s suggestion to management that an unused loading dock could
be converted to a secluded landscaped area was surprisingly successful. They
must look after their smokers back in Oz.

Personally, I didn’t care either way because I didn’t smoke, but
Dilbert took advantage of the maximum permitted breaks and joined me in the
courtyard about five times a day. Seeing I had to maintain the garden anyway,
he suggested I do those chores while he lit up a fag. His use of the word had
offended me at first, but he assured me that’s what they were called back home.
Anyway, I noticed he never used the term again in my presence. I’d wondered if
I should also persuade him to stop smoking, but then he wouldn’t have an excuse
to visit me so often.

I enjoyed those short breaks. For some weird reason, we were never
disturbed, although I heard later that there must be some problem with the door
into the basement as someone had complained that they couldn’t get it open. It
seemed fine when Dilbert and I checked, so they mustn’t have been pushing hard
enough.

Dilbert’s hand was still shaking when he tried to flick the lighter.
“Fuck!” he said.

“Erm….” Should I remind him that we were still inside? Technically,
he was in a superior position in the company, but Mrs. Stringer had reassured
me that while I was down here, I was in control. Or in charge. I wasn’t sure
which word she used. Both gave me an unusual sensation of security. A space
where I belonged. “Shouldn’t we?” I gestured toward the door leading from the
underground car park to the outdoor smoking area.

Dilbert
chuckled. “Sorry. Force of habit. I always light up after a screw.”

Of course, Tyler might
tell you he was born twenty years earlier, but should we believe anything he
says? That’s for you to decide.

In Tyler’s first
adventure—like many a gay man before him—he was SNARED by gay porn, wallowing
in tales of bigger, stronger, harder….

Then his fickle mind
was seduced and SHREDDED by the prospect of BDSM and slavery.

When a Big
Misunderstanding SLASHED at Tyler’s sanity, almost costing him his life, he
turned to another genre for his salvation. But even this encounter proved
potentially hazardous—not from freezing temperatures, but at the hands of irate
fans.

Finally, tired and
SCREWED by his all his trials and tribulations, he discovers—like many
storybook heroes before him—that sometimes Mr. Right is closer than we think.

Everyone who bought SNARED gets a 20% discount
at buying the Just for Fun composite from the WIP website! Check the website for details.

Unlike many authors, A.B. Gayle hasn’t been
writing stories all her life. Instead she’s been living life.

Her travels have taken her from
the fjords of Norway to the southern tip of New Zealand. In between, she’s
worked in so many different towns she’s lost count. A.B.
has shoveled shit in cow yards, mustered sheep, been polite to customers,
traded insults with politicians. Sometimes she needs to be forgiven as
she get confused as to who needs what where.

Now living in Sydney, Australia,
A.B. finally has time to allow her real life experiences to
morph with her fertile imagination in order to create fiction thatshe hopes
her readers will enjoy.

Saturday, July 4, 2015

Not long now until Euro Pride Con, which is in Munich on July 11 and 12. If you're going, I can't wait to meet you there. And if you're not, I'll bet you're jealous! It looks like a fun event, and I get to be on TWO panels. I'm on Other Worlds, which is all about world building, and also Teamwork, which is all about co-writing. JA Rock will be on that one with me, as well as Aleksandr Voinov and LA Witt. I'm sure JA and I won't be intimidated at all. At all.

I'm also looking forward the fingerling over a bunch of writers I haven't met yet, and of course checking out Munich!

The thing I love most about conventions is the chance to hang out with like-minded people, whether they're writers or readers. For me, writing can very much be a solitary affair. I live in a regional city where the chance to discuss m/m romance doesn't exactly come along every day. Bless the internet, amiright? But even the internet can't match the feeling of getting into a room and finding it full of awesome people talking about the things I love to talk about too! The m/m community might only be a small one, but it's a great one, and I love it when I get to meet its other members face to face.